Farage in Hull

Like a heavyweight boxer approaching the ring – an apt analogy given the way the evening ended – after a fifteen-minute delay due to people still arriving at the Hull Arena, the man himself entered the auditorium. Coming in from the back, surrounded by minders with cameras flashing and some suitably stirring music over the PA system, Nigel Farage was hustled along to the stage which he took to uproarious applause and a standing ovation.

Having lost faith in everyone whose bum has graced the green benches of the House of Commons, including Nigel Farage, I stood up eventually simply to see what was going on and offered a few limps rounds of applause myself. My wife and two oldest grandsons were up before me clapping and cheering. They are made of much more optimistic stuff than me.

This was, essentially, a Reform UK rally. Ostensibly held to announce the Reform candidate for the mayoral election for the new unitary authority of Hull & East Yorkshire, the preamble by Farage was mostly about how Reform could win the next general election.

There were 2000 in attendance, and the delay for many getting into the venue was the fault of the security. Tickets had to be purchased in advance and, one would think, having such a ticket on the app that had to be used would be enough. But no. As we were ushered towards the queues for entrance, stewards were telling us each individually that in addition to the ticket, the person who purchased the tickets would also need some form of identification.

One unfortunate steward who was at pains to make sure I understood got a mouthful from me, as there had been absolutely no mention of this in advance. I was told he didn’t make the rules etc. I remembered I had my Senior Railcard app on my phone, so I guessed I was good to go. As it transpired, the person checking the tickets showed zero interest in my ID, scanned the tickets and let us in.

The question then came to my mind about what showing ID related to the ticket would prove in any case; only that you had bought the ticket. If you were there to disrupt proceedings it would make no difference and, even if you were a far-left sympathiser, if you had bought a ticket surely you were entitled to entry. I tried discussing these points with my wife, but she had already stopped talking to me after my robust challenge to the steward and my subsequent objection to opening my coat – flasher style – to show the next steward that I did not have any milkshakes secreted about my person.

Speaking of the far left, it had been tipped on social media platforms that there would be a huge anti-fascist protest. People were being exhorted to be careful or to reconsider attending. As it turned out there was a handful of protesters handing out leaflets and shouting about how welcome immigrants were in Hull. The police kept them well away from us but, given the numbers and the demographics – mainly young women – the Girl Guides could probably have given them a run for their money.

Ironically, while the dweebs from the left were shouting their support for immigrants, it was noticeable that most of the stewards and security staff were immigrants. The far-left shouts about welcoming immigrants (presumably not into their houses), while Nigel Farage and his political party provide them with employment.

So, we were in, the bar was open, and it was time to have a pint and prepare for the night ahead. When proceedings eventually got going a Reform Councillor, Maria Bowtell from Bridlington, came to the stage to introduce the evening, to tell us about her own journey into Reform and on to the local council. She was a concerned mother, mild-mannered and had simply had enough of successive governments putting our country second; not protecting our jobs, suppressing free speech, and allowing the general decay in law and order. She did not look remotely like a fascist.

In the run up to the evening, there had been great speculation about who the mayoral candidate was going to be. My money – and I was not alone – was on the gorgeous, articulate, funny and politically dry GB News presenter Michelle Dewberry, who belongs to and still lives in Hull. Others had speculated about Hullensian Maureen Lipman (too woke by far) and even Hull boxer turned entrepreneur, Tommy Coyle.

As Farage hit the platform indoor fireworks went off around him, smoke billowed on to the stage, the spotlights rotated, and he milked the crowd. Eventually people sat down, and he was off. It must be said the man is a showman. He spoke word perfect for about twenty minutes without notes and, unlike many people who take to the stage in Hull, he remembered where he was. Many a comedian, musician or politician on a road trip has fallen foul of the good folk of Hull by saying ‘hello Leeds’ or ‘hello Grimsby’.

Having established that Reform UK was going to win the general election he turned to the mayoralty. He let us down early by clarifying that the candidate was not Michelle Dewberry (at which point I largely lost interest), and it became clear that the candidate was a boxer. The words ‘Tommy’ and ‘Coyle’ could be heard around us. But, when the curtain opened, it was the other Hull boxer Luke Campbell. A boxing ring had been erected from which he descended to the stage and announced his candidature.

Campbell was an Olympic Gold bantamweight, who had a successful professional career at lightweight. He has always seemed a decent chap; no scandals are associated with him; he has had a long and stable marriage and has three children. I had no idea, as I am sure most of the 2000 people there did not, that he had any political ambitions. He is no orator but spoke from the heart about Hull, its people and his commitment to them. He uttered barely a political word and, again, he did not look remotely like a fascist.

Farage returned to the stage to add his words of support, holding Campbell’s arm up like he had just won a boxing bout. More fireworks and loud music and the evening was over.

I was left somewhat underwhelmed. I wish Luke Campbell every success and, unless he drops some enormous clanger, I may well vote for him, if I decide to vote. But he will be up against some seasoned local politicians, especially in the Labour and Liberal Democratic candidates.

The new unitary authority which, incidentally I think is a load of bollocks and have said so here and here, is greater than Hull. The area covered under the new authority is largely agricultural. Any candidate will have to address the problems of the rural areas as well as urban Hull. Time will tell if Luke Campbell is punching above his weight.

(Photograph: Derek Bennett, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons)

Roger Watson is a retired academic, editor and writer. He is a columnist with Unity News Network and writes regularly for a range of conservative journals including The Salisbury Review and The European Conservative. He has travelled and worked extensively in the Far East and the Middle East. He lives in Kingston upon Hull, UK.

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